Victorian English Literature (1837–1901)
1. Overview of the Victorian Era
• The Victorian era corresponds to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901) and was
marked by significant social, political, and cultural change.
• Industrial Revolution: This period saw rapid industrialization, urbanization, and
technological advancement, which had profound effects on society and literature.
• Scientific advancements: The publication of Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of
Species" (1859) challenged traditional religious beliefs and sparked debates between
science and religion.
• Social reform movements: This era witnessed major strides in social reform, including
the abolition of slavery, women's suffrage movements, and labor rights.
2. Major Themes in Victorian Literature
• Social Criticism: Writers often critiqued the effects of industrialization, poverty, and
class inequality.
◦ Works like Charles Dickens’ "Hard Times" (1854) and Elizabeth Gaskell’s
"North and South" (1855) focused on the lives of the working class and the
exploitation in factories.
• Morality and Religion: The Victorian era was deeply concerned with moral values, the
role of religion, and the tension between faith and reason.
◦ Writers like George Eliot and Matthew Arnold explored these issues, especially
the conflict between scientific progress and traditional religious beliefs.
• Gender Roles and Women’s Rights: The Victorian era also saw increasing attention on
women's roles in society, marriage, and family life.
◦ Charlotte Brontë's "Jane Eyre" (1847) and Elizabeth Barrett Browning's
poetry challenged traditional ideas about women's place in the world.
• The Search for Identity: Many Victorian writers grappled with personal identity, the
individual's relationship to society, and the complexities of human nature.
◦ Robert Louis Stevenson’s "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (1886) explores the
duality of human nature.
3. Prominent Victorian Writers and Works
• Charles Dickens (1812–1870):
◦ Major Works: Oliver Twist (1837–1839), A Christmas Carol (1843), David
Copperfield (1849–1850), Great Expectations (1860–1861)
◦ Dickens is known for his vivid characters and sharp critique of Victorian society,
especially the inequalities of the social system and the struggles of the poor.
◦ His works often highlight the plight of children and the corrupting effects of
industrialization.
• Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861):
◦ Major Works: Sonnets from the Portuguese (1850), Aurora Leigh (1856)
◦ A prominent poet, Browning’s works explore themes of love, faith, and social
issues, particularly the role of women in society.
◦ Sonnets from the Portuguese is a collection of love poems, while Aurora Leigh is
a feminist epic poem about a woman’s struggle for self-expression in a male-
dominated world.
• Charlotte Brontë (1816–1855):
◦ Major Works: Jane Eyre (1847), Shirley (1849), Villette (1853)
◦ Brontë’s works often challenge the Victorian ideals of female passivity and the
limited roles available to women, presenting strong, independent female
protagonists.
◦ Jane Eyre in particular is a revolutionary novel that explores themes of morality,
gender, and social class.
• George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) (1819–1880):
◦ Major Works: Middlemarch (1871–1872), The Mill on the Floss (1860), Silas
Marner (1861)
◦ Known for her realistic depictions of provincial life, Eliot (the pen name of Mary
Ann Evans) tackled complex moral and social issues, including the roles of
women in society.
◦ Middlemarch is regarded as one of the greatest English novels, addressing themes
of marriage, idealism, and the limitations imposed on women and men by society.
• Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–1892):
◦ Major Works: The Charge of the Light Brigade (1854), In Memoriam (1850),
Idylls of the King (1859–1885)
◦ Tennyson was the Poet Laureate of Britain and his works often reflect the
Victorian concerns with religion, morality, and the effects of scientific
discoveries.
◦ In Memoriam is a long poem addressing themes of grief, faith, and the challenges
of reconciling religious beliefs with the rise of scientific thought.
• Robert Browning (1812–1889):
◦ Major Works: My Last Duchess (1842), The Ring and the Book (1868–1869)
◦ Browning was known for his dramatic monologues, where he explored the
psychology of characters in intense, often disturbing situations.
◦ His works often question the nature of truth, art, and the moral consequences of
human actions.
• Thomas Hardy (1840–1928):
◦ Major Works: Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891), Far from the Madding Crowd
(1874), Jude the Obscure (1895)
◦ Hardy’s novels often focus on rural life, social issues, and the harsh realities of
fate. His works explore the destructive power of love, society's moral codes, and
the inevitability of suffering.
• Lewis Carroll (1832–1898):
◦ Major Works: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865), Through the Looking-
Glass (1871)
◦ Carroll (the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) was both a mathematician
and a writer of children's literature.
◦ His whimsical tales, full of wordplay, nonsense, and fantasy, challenge Victorian
norms and offer a critique of logic, language, and society.
4. Key Literary Movements of the Victorian Period
• Realism: Focus on portraying life as it is, with an emphasis on everyday experiences,
social issues, and moral dilemmas.
◦ Writers like George Eliot, Charles Dickens, and Elizabeth Gaskell used realism
to critique social inequality and explore the lives of ordinary people.
• The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood: A group of artists and poets, including Dante
Gabriel Rossetti and Christina Rossetti, who rejected industrialization and sought to
revive the detail, vibrant color, and symbolism of early Renaissance art.
◦ Their works, including Christina Rossetti's poetry, often deal with themes of love,
death, and religious devotion.
• Aestheticism and Decadence: A movement that emphasized beauty and the rejection of
conventional morality.
◦ Oscar Wilde and Walter Pater were prominent figures, focusing on the
importance of art for art’s sake.
5. Influence of Victorian Literature
• Victorian literature has had a profound influence on modern literature, particularly in its
treatment of social issues, the role of women, and the exploration of human psychology.
• The era’s writers used literature as a way to engage with the pressing issues of their time,
from industrialization to the changing roles of women, and many of their works continue
to be studied for their exploration of moral and social concerns.
